This invention relates generally to the field of roof anchors for securing a line along a side of a structure, and in particular to such roof anchors that are small enough and light enough to be carried by one person.
The maintenance of a modern high-rise building often necessitates men and/or machines being supported along the sides of the building for window cleaning, painting, inspection or repair activities. Some buildings have specially designed equipment and/or permanent tie-down locations associated with the building for supporting such activities. However, some buildings have no such accommodations, and special removable rigs must be delivered to the building each time such activities are performed.
Many types of roof rigs are known in the art for anchoring a line from the top of a building. Two such machines sold under the marks xe2x80x9cLittle Bossxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cBig Bossxe2x80x9d by Finn""s Corporation (www.finnsboss.com) are adjustable to accommodate parapet walls of varying sizes. These machines weigh at least 250 pounds and are moved about the building roof on wheels. Such systems are difficult to deliver to the roof top and difficult to maneuver around obstacles on a roof.
Another known roof rig sold under the mark xe2x80x9cSkyhookxe2x80x9d by Skyhook Systems (www.skyhooksystems.com) is a motorized rolling roof rig with computerized controls. Such systems are heavy, complicated and expensive.
The roof rig sold under the mark xe2x80x9cMIO-250xe2x80x9d by J. Racenstein and Co., Inc. (www.windocleaningsupplies.com) is designed to fold together into a reduced-size package for delivery to a job site. However, even when folded, this machine is large and heavy enough to need wheels for easy movement, and it has a shape that makes it virtually impossible for one man to carry. This machine weighs over 400 pounds with counterweights.
The roof rigs sold by B. H. Rigging Distributors were relatively simple in design and somewhat lighter than some other designs. However, these rigs are still difficult to maneuver around obstacles on a roof, and they have limited flexibility for accommodating the many different physical limitations that may be encountered on various roofs. This company has also sold roof rigs that have a generally U-shape and are designed to mount over a parapet wall. While these devices are light and easy to carry, it is difficult for a person who is suspended from such a device to return to the top of the roof.
Fitch-Enterprises Ltd. sells roof rigs that include optional extension pieces for increasing or decreasing the overall length of the device. For example, the machine sold under the mark xe2x80x9cFitch Horsexe2x80x9d may be used with one standard eight foot beam length, or an additional eight foot extension may be added to achieve an overall length of sixteen feet. This limited degree of adjustment in the length of the device is not adequate to accommodate every roof condition. Furthermore, the device weighs 160 pounds without counterweights. An additional 200 pounds of counterweight must be attached prior to use, and it must be disassembled to fit into a standard elevator or through a roof hatchway.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved portable roof anchor device that is light enough to be handled by one man, that is flexible enough to accommodate a large variety of space limitations, that can be easily maneuvered around obstacles on a roof, and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture when compared to the prior art devices described above. A roof rig is needed that can accommodate a parapet wall, while at the same time making it easy for a user to rappel from a rooftop.
A portable anchor designed specifically for supporting a line along a side of a structure is described herein as including: a beam member having a line support end, a counterweight end, and a pivot location; a line support member attached to the beam member at a line support location proximate the line support end; a counterweight attached to the beam member at a counterweight location proximate the counterweight end; wherein the beam member is slidably extendible in length so that the distance from the counterweight location to the pivot location may be fixed at any of a plurality of lengths. The portable anchor may include: a hollow outer member and an inner member extending partially into the hollow outer member and slidably moveable therein to be fixed at any of the plurality of lengths. The portable anchor may be carried in a line-deployed configuration by a single person having one hand holding a handle on the counterweight side of a center of gravity of the assembly and a second hand cradling the beam member between the center of gravity location and the line support end.
The portable anchor may further include a pair of line storage members attached to the beam mechanism, so that when the line is wrapped around the line storage members, the line forms a handle for carrying the beam member.
The counterweight may have a generally triangular shape rotatably attached to the beam member proximate a corner of the generally triangular shape so that a flat side of the counterweight is self-leveling. The counterweight may further include: a weight member having a hole formed there through; a bolt member having a head end and having a threaded end opposed the head end, the bolt member adapted for passing through a hole formed in the beam member and through the hole formed in the weight member; a handle member attached to the head end of the bolt member; a spacer member attached to the bolt member a predetermined distance from the handle member, the spacer member adapted to space the weight member from the handle member when the bolt member is disposed through the hole formed in the weight member; and a nut adapted to thread onto the threaded end of the bolt member for urging the weight member toward the spacer member and for retaining the counterweight on the beam member.
Such a device may be used for supporting a line over an edge of a structure by: providing a beam member having a line support end and a counterweight end, the beam member comprising a hollow outer member and an inner member slidably extending at least partially into the hollow outer member and fixable at a plurality of positions for providing the beam member with a respective plurality of lengths; positioning the beam member on a top of a structure at a working location; adjusting the length of the beam member to a maximum length permitted by the working location; connecting a counterweight to the beam member proximate the counterweight end; connecting a line to the beam member proximate the line support end; supporting the beam member at a pivot location of the beam member between the line support end and the counterweight end; and dropping the line over an edge of the structure. The beam member will have a center of gravity location when in a line-deployed configuration with the line and the counterweight connected to the beam member, and the anchor may be moved about the roof by attaching a handle to the beam member at a location between the counterweight end and the center of gravity location so that the beam member may be carried in the line-deployed configuration by a person having one hand holding the handle and a second hand cradling the beam member between the center of gravity location and the line support end. The device may also be carried to the roof by: attaching a line storage member to the beam member; wrapping the line around the line storage member; and using the line as a handle to carry the beam member.
The counterweight may be provided to have a generally triangular shape and pivotally connected to the beam member so that the counterweight will self-level with a bottom edge of the generally triangular shape in a horizontal position. This may be accomplished by providing a hole in the counterweight and a hole in the beam member; providing a bolt member having a head end and having a threaded end opposed the head end, the bolt member adapted for passing through the hole formed in the beam member and through the hole formed in the counterweight; attaching a handle to the head end of the bolt member; attaching a spacer member to the bolt member a predetermined distance from the handle member, the spacer member adapted to space the weight member from the handle member when the bolt member is disposed through the hole formed in the weight member; and threading a nut onto the threaded end of the bolt member for urging the weight member toward the spacer member and for retaining the counterweight on the beam member. In this manner, the counterweight may be carried separately from the beam member by passing the threaded end of the bolt member through the hole formed in the counterweight and tightening the nut against the counterweight with the handle in a predetermined position relative to the counterweight so that the counterweight is balanced when carried by the handle.
A portable anchor for supporting a line along a side of a structure having a parapet is described herein as including: a generally U-shaped member comprising a horizontal member, an inner vertical member extending downward from the horizontal member, and an outer vertical member extending downward from the horizontal member on a side of the horizontal member opposed the inner vertical member, the generally U-shaped member adapted to fit over a parapet; a step member attached to the outer vertical member and extending away from the outer vertical member; and a hand hold attached to the outer vertical member. The hand hold may include a bottom end attached to the outer vertical member at an angle of less than ninety degrees so that a line passing through the opening will be drawn against the outer vertical member.